Title: Murder at Morningside
Author: Sandra Bretting
Publisher: Lyrical Underground
Genre: Mystery
Format: Ecopy
Synopsis
Hat designer Missy DuBois opened her shop, Crowning Glory, along Louisiana’s Great River Road to cater to the sophisticated Southern bride. But bless her heart, who knew creating stylish wedding veils would lead to murder?
Hired to craft a veil for a socialite getting married at Morningside Plantation means Missy can bask in the height of antebellum atmosphere. But when the bride is found dead in a women’s bathroom, Missy the milliner finds herself entangled in one unfashionable murder. With the list of suspects thicker than the sweltering Louisiana heat, including a gaggle of bridesmaids shedding nary a tear and a family with no shortage of enemies, it seems anyone at the mansion may have done away with the bride-to-be. While Missy has Southern charm to spare, she’s going to need more than manners and a manicure to put a hat pin on this murderous affair . . .
Review
If you like reading about the south, especially Louisiana, you’ll enjoy this cozy! Set close to Baton Rouge the protagonist, Missy, is a milliner and creates veils for brides along with various hats and cloches. Like most cozies, she puts herself in harms way but doesn’t realize it most of the time.
This was an engaging story that I enjoyed. I had no idea who to suspect as the “bad guy” until a certain fact is revealed. If you pay attention you’ll know who it is BUT you won’t know why until the killer is confronted.
There is a bit of a one sided love interest, Missy has a thing for Ambrose “Bo” who is a fashion designer and her best friend. I’m not sure if anything will develop in future books, but a friend from her past also shows up and while nothing is really said about any interest from either side, you just never know.
We give it 4 paws up!
Meet the Author
Sandra Bretting has served as a freelance feature writer for the Houston Chronicle since moving to Texas in 1996. She received a journalism degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism, and spent her early career in healthcare public relations at medical centers throughout Southern California. Other publications for which she’s written include the Los Angeles Times and Woman’s Day.
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